Visual Rhetoric Two: This image communicates
through the rhetorical strategy logos, which engages our intellect and reason
by means of text (slogons, posters with text).
This image communicates through the rhetorical strategy mythos, which
engages our common beliefs. Some
people’s religion does not allow them to go to doctors but, instead, only to
trust in their higher power (mythos).
Retrieved December 8, 2012; Rogue Gunner a Tale of PTSD
Analysis of the Image:
This is a poster that want to communicate to the general
public who has not been in service that it is okay to reach out for help during
the hard times. No one has to suffer
alone and that there are people who are willing to help an individual get
better. The words on this poster wants an individual to trust that change is
soon to come and life will get better ( ethos).
This poster shows two sentences: “Don’t wait until you break .
. .” “Learn to cope through counseling.”
The first warning commands the viewer of this poster (a
soldier or a veteran) not to wait until it’s almost too late to receive help
from professionals to build him/herself back up.
The second quote “P.T.S.D” means Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
which singles out the main disorder among active duty soldiers and verterans,
the ones who are waiting too long to receive help.
The third quote (“Learn to Cope Through Counseling”) suggest to individuals going through a tough time in life to cope with their problems by seeking professional help from a counselor. You do not have to settle your problems alone. There are trained specialist in the world who has the tools to guide you to overcome your issues.
I believe that the mottoes in this poster should be everyone’s
motto whether they are
soldiers or not. Many people tend to wait until it is too late before going to
receive any professional help. It is at this breaking point when suicide comes
into play.
This poster also shows us an image of a rope hanging on by a
small weak string, i.e. the breaking point. This one image is very powerful when
delivering the message of the poster to seek counseling before the breaking
point (ethos & logos).
Most people go through battles with themselves and their
mind, especially the soldiers who are all returning from war. They have
a lot of guilt and sorrow for the tragic crimes they have witnessed. I realized
after my father had been away from his family for so long, he began to treat us
as if we were the enemy. He felt like the whole world was against him.
Individual family members are also greatly affecting by the
plight of the returning soldier/father. I was almost at my breaking point because I
was experiencing post partum depression before I finally got help. I wish that I would have went gone sooner. Like many people, pride and ego get in the way of people’s seeking help for emotional stress.
We live in
such a judgemental world that we fail to realized that among those who
wrongly judge , there are also people
among us who are reaching out with helpful hands. The army should take this quote and have it
posted everyone and make the soldiers know that it is okay to cope with PTSD
and any other issues they may have with their mariage, health, etc.